Mally Bibs...........a 'green" baby gift wrapped in red

"Can you make the gift look kind of Canadian Mom?" Oh, and I am leaving in an hour. Well yes..... but can I put a yellow duckie on it so it somewhat looks like a baby gift and not a box of maple syrup? My son loves theme gifts, babies, and his country so when he and his rotation partner wanted to give their US attending resident (eg. boss) a baby gift they wanted Canada written all over it. My son's partner found the Canada theme bib online which I thought was very resourceful of her and then they had me add in a few more things. Sophie the giraffe, the french teething sensation is peeking out of the box too. And yes, it is handy having a mother who can gift wrap at short notice.

I will admit when I first saw this leather bib with the Canadian maple leaf all over it, I wasn't overly excited. I love my country, the maple leaf emblem not so much. Then as I was wrapping I started to read the promotion material from Mally Bib that was tucked into the rear pocket and then this forgetful mature mother started to see the benefit.... it is actually a clever baby gift with some good practical sense. First and foremost, it is a soft 100% baby-safe biodegradable leather (it is beautifully soft) on both sides so it is wipeable instead of machine-washable which saves on laundry (water, electricity and detergent) and will protect those cute little outfits for a long time as a "green" bib choice. Secondly, the age-adjustable clasp is magnetized which makes it remarkably easy to take on and off, not to mention you can just stick it on the fridge for handy storage. Now that makes sense to me.

Mally Bibs was founded by Nicole Garza, a young mother of two and the handmade bibs are manufactured in British Columbia, Canada but these popular bibs ship all over the world. Canadian and US orders ship through Canada and international orders are handled by a European distributor to cut down on delivery times and shipping costs. There is a handy spill-pocket on the rear (or for a stash of cheerio snacks) that can be personalized in leather with the child's name. They feature a large variety of bib images such as planes, animals and cute little insects and they have a custom department as well. Maybe someday, I will order one with a little stethoscope? I am just saying......one day.

Of course there is a US version too, we are neighbors after all. Mally Bibs also has a Etsy shop under the name Mally Designs where they reuse and recycle any leather cuts into new product introductions. I am also going to state that Mally Bibs are much nicer "in person" than they show photographically. You know how picky I am about gifts. The more you look at the idea and the more you think about it, the more you may think like I did.........these just make sense and a great gift. I am off to order a few right now.





Photo 2 and 3 by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life/All other photographs used with permission from Mally Bibs

Papo d' Anjo..........for discerning mothers everywhere

I love a good retail story. And this is a really, really good one. One about children's fashions, the precious kind that you want to keep and pass down for generations to come. The old fashioned way. Before I begin, the literal translation of  Papo d' Anjo is "tummy of an angel", the name given to a very special cake whose recipe dates back to 13th century Portugal. Now.........back to that good story.

There is a bit of romance behind the beginings of  Papo d' Anjo. An American woman meets a Portuquese man, falls in love, marries him, moves to Lisbon, Portugal and has two daughters. The American is Catherine Monteiro de Barios and as the founder of Papa d' Anjo she realized fifteen years ago that there might be an American market for the high-quality European childrens fashions that are manufactured the old-fashioned way. By old fashioned way I mean literally made-by-hand, the artisan hands of the Portuguese seamstresses using the finest of fabrics imported from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and England. The softest of cotton, prints from Liberty of  London, madras, and cashmere. In a sense, the founder also honoured an old-fashioned and time-honoured way of growing her business here in North America. Twice a year, in over 100 US cities, Papo d' Anjo holds Trunk Shows at homes and shops where discerning mothers can meet with dedicated and knowledgeable hostesses over a three day period to pre-order clothing for their little angels. This past March, the New York Trunk Show was at the Carlye Hotel, where you might have rubbed cashmere shoulders with the Trumps.

Located in the heart of Lisbon, the design and production planning offices of  Papa d' Anjo are still located on the top floor of an 18th century building overlooking the Tagus river and six of Lisbons storied hills. These days, the exclusive children's line is also sold in Papo stores in Europe (Lisbon and Madrid), now in the United States and on their website. In-store boutiques are located in Harrods , London and stateside in New York at Bergdorf Goodman. As a gift source, the website will ship anywhere in the world which is why I thought to share this story and source. Due to popular request, Papo d' Anjo recently added baby Gift Baskets, which are available in three sizes and range from $99.00 to $399.00. Filled with a variety of  exquisite nursery gifts and their plush Rabbit, the pique-lined basket is one of their most popular keepsake and presented in their signature Italian-made gift box as shown above. How's that for presentation when you have a baby gift to send to someone special across the world? Or here in North America.

Some may consider it a rarified world of childrens fashion, they even have a Bespoke Collection where you can custom order clothing suitable for special occasions such as a Baptism or the upcoming Flower Girl. The collection gently oozes of innocence and classic quality for those that want to send a very special gift. Like the simple but gorgeous Hippie Dress shown above (79.00). The grandchild in Germany, the niece in Italy, the nephew in New York........all the innocent angels everywhere. Sometimes one classic and beautifully-made item is a rare and wonderful thing.

Papo d' Anjor website (click here) Papo Blog (click here) and US Toll Free Number is 888-660-6111 Europe Toll Free Number is 00800-6606-1111. A catalogue is available through the website. So is the recipe for those divine little cakes.

All photos used with permission of Papo d' Anjo

Baby Bunny and Uggs

I have noticed that plenty of expectant mothers are keeping the baby gender a surprise or secret these days. That means no pink and no blue. Since elegant babies and subdued ivory just seem to go together that was what I searched for when I recently went hunting for a special baby shower gift. Is there anything more fun than shopping for a baby gift? When I found this incredibly plush bunny rabbit and then found the ivory cashmere blanket I was more than happy, heck....I wanted to keep them for myself. I could use a luxurious cuddle now and again too. When I found the baby Uggs I just couldn't resist adding them though they are more than wonderful as a single gift. Rather than wrap up each item individually as I normally do I set up all the items on a cushion of tissue paper. I wanted the mother-to-be to open the box and have Mr. Bunny sitting up waiting for the new baby to arrive with all the baby goodies surrounding him. When I got home I added in a copy of The Tales of the Floopsy Bunny and a set of unisex burp cloths.

The sweetest lamb is on the cover of these blank cards that can also be used as a shower invite. I keep a good stash of these blank cards and use them for any baby-related occasion. If it was a birth I might hand write ~Welcome to the World ~ on the front. This precious lamb even has a little die cut bell on his (or her) ribboned neck. That my card stash matched my ivory-toned gift was just plain luck. I think I am going to do this all-ivory theme for future baby gifts.

This was one big ivory store box that I really didn't think needed any gift wrap paper and as you know I don't think that way too often. A bit of unisex green striped ribbon and this special delivery was good to go.

These baby Uggs are simply the most adorable gift.

Keep these in mind for the next baby gift.

I wonder if it will be a little girl or a little boy who will be wearing these soon?

*Just to clarify the price of the Ugg Erin baby booties as a reader comment suggested they were $100.00. The Uggs shown are called Erin baby booties and the colour is chestnut. The retail price is $50.00 US and can be ordered online in from the UggAustralia (click here) US website.

Speaking of bunnies, I hope you enjoy a delicious chocolate one this weekend.

Happy Easter!

All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life